Roosting device for fowls



(NO Model.)

I. D. DIMOCK. BOOSTING DEVICE FOR FOWLS.

NO. 595,121. Patented DOO.7,189'7.

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Uivrrn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED D. DIMOCK, OF NATIONAL CITY, CALIFORNIA.

ROOSTING DEVICE FOR FOWLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,121, dated December7, 1897.

Application filed December 16, 1896. Serial No. 615,903- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED D. DDIOCK, of National City, in the county ofSan Diego and State of California, have invented a new and ImprovedBoosting Device for Fowls,of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

This invention relates to roosts for dom estic fowls, and has for itsobject to provide novel, simple, and efficient means for readilycleaning a poultry-house or like inclosure, the device being adapted toremove the droppings that are voided by fowls while roosting and deposit such manure in a suitable receptacle outside of the poultry-housewhen said device is operated exterior of the house.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination ofparts, as is hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a poultry-househaving the improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectional side view of thepoultry-house and the improved cleaning device therefor substantially onthe line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. is an enlarged sectional side view of partsof the house and of the improvements essentially on the same line asFig. 2, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged side view of details embodyingfeatures of the invention and seen in the direction of an arrow in Fig.1.

In the drawings illustrating the improvements as applied to apoultry-house, indicates the building, which may be in the stylerepresent-ed or be somewhat changed therefrom, if preferred.

The roosting-poles 11 are arranged in a tier within the house 10 at suchdistances of separation as will permit the free occupation of each poleby fowls. The roosting-poles as supported in the present constructionhave one end of each pole inserted in a perforation at one side of thebuilding and the opposite ends loosely engaged with notches cut in theupper side of the inclined side bar 12, which will permit a tree removalof the poles, as occasion may require.

On brackets 13 or like supports which are on the side Walls of thepoultry-house at opposite points two parallel rollers 14 15 are 3'ournaled, and the roller 14 may also be rotatably sustained by its looseengagement intermediate of the ends with a box or a transverseperforation on or in the supportingbloclz; 13, whereon the side bar 12is secured at its lower end. The roller 15 is held to rotate in itsbracket-supports by a center shaft 16, that at one end has acrank-handle 17, and said brackets are located exterior of the house 10at what may be regarded as its front wall 10, so that the rollermentioned is horizontally positioned outside of the poultry-house.

A slot or aperture 18 is produced in the house-wall immediately behindthe roller 15, and on both of the rollers 14 15 an apron 19 is mounted,which is essentially endless but is adapted for shortening, so as totightly contact with the rollers, by provision of straps 2O 21 andbuckles 22, that are secured in sufficient number along the lapped endportions of the apron, as is clearly indicated in Figs. 2 and Below theapron a scraper-blade 23 is supported to rock by a loose engagement ofjournal ends thereon with the brackets 13, that support the roller 15,the upper edge of the scraper being pressed against the lower ply of theapron 19 and held so engaged by a spring 24.

It will be seen that the apron 19 is located below the roosting-poles11, and it should be of such width as will adapt it to receive allexcrement of the fowls that is voided while they are roosting, suchdroppings being deposited on the ply of the apron that is uppermost atroosting-time.

Below the scraper-blade 23 a manure-receptacle 25 is placed, anddetachably secured in position, preferably by seating it on two or moreforwardly-projccting arms 26, that have retaining-shoulders 26 on theirupper edges. The shoulders 26 bear against the front side of theelongated rectangular box that constitutes the receptacle, and one ofsaid arms is pivoted at its inner end 26, whereby the arm may be rockedlaterally and away from the end of the receptacle 25.

The spring 24 has one end fastened upon the front wall 10 of the house10, and the side edges of the spring are disposed near to the side Wallsof an open recess formed in the adjacent side wall of the receptacle 25when the latter is in position for service.

As one of the arms 26 at the end of the box 25 is pivoted to rock, asbefore explained, it will be seen that if said arm is rocked away fromthe end of the box 25 that it supports said end may be lowered, and thisWill remove the boX from the spring 24, so that the manure-receptaclemay at any time be detached from its supports to conveniently empty it.

In operation it is apparent that a rotation ofthe roller by amanipulation of the crank-handle 17 will, if effected in the directionof the curved arrow in Fig. 3, transfer the side of the apron 19 thathas been uppermost and has caught the excrement voided by the fowls tothe lower side of the endless apron, and the longitudinal movement ofsaid top ply will draw it rearward below the roller 15 and cause itsladened surface to be thoroughly scraped by the blade 23, therebyremoving the liquid and solid matter, which will fall into thereceptacle 25.

To protect the roller 15, apron 19, and re ceptacle from the elements, abox-cover 27 is fitted over these parts, the cover being sustained inposition by resting over and upon the upper edge of the receptacle, alatchpiece 28 serving to hold the cover in place.

Minor changes may evidently be made in the details of constructionwithin the scope of my invention. Hence I do not wish to limit it to theprecise forms herein shown.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination with an inclosu re, roosting-polesarranged in a tier Within the inclosure, an endless apron longitudinallyadj ustable below the roosting-poles, and a scraperblade bearing withone edge against the lower side of the apronnear one end; of supportsproj ecting from the inclosure below said scraperblade and havingshoulders near their outer ends, and a receptacle for the scrapingsresting upon said supports and retained thereon by said shoulders, oneof said supports being pivotedto turn laterally and release thereceptacle, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, in a device of the character described with theinclosure, and the plurality of roost-poles arranged in a tier withinthe inclosure; of the pair of parallel rollers supported to rotate in aplane below the said poles, one within and the other without the saidinclosure, an endless apron mounted on said rollers and extendingthrough an aperture in the side of the inclosure, a scraperblade havingjournal ends in loose engage ment with the support for the rolleroutside the inclosure, being located below said roller, a springpressing the upper edge of said blade into contact with said apron, armssecured to the inclosure below said scraper-blade and one of which ispivoted to turn laterally, a receptacle having its ends resting uponsaid arms and arranged to be detached therefrom by turning the pivotedarm, and means for moving said apron, as and for the purpose described.

3. A roosting device for fowls, comprising the inclosure, supports forthe roosting-poles, roosting-poles arranged in a tier and detach ablysecured on said supports, two parallel rollers supported to rotate in aplane below said poles and located one within and the other without saidinclosure, a contractible endless apron mounted to revolve on saidrollers and passing through an aperture in the side of the inclosure, arocking scraper-blade located below the outer roller and having itsupper edge spring-pressed into engagement with said apron,armsprojecting from the inclosure below said scraper-blade and havingshoulders on their upper outer edges, one of said arms being pivoted toturn laterally, areceptacle resting upon said arms, being retained bythe shoulders thereon and removable from the inclosure by turning saidpivoted arm outward, and a cover protecting the apron, scraper-blade,and receptacle, as and for the purpose described.

FRED D. DIMOCK.

Witnesses:

FRED H. SAMBORN, E. THELEN.

